Government to fund treatment of Indian student shot at in Ukraine: MEA

NEW DELHI: The government has decided to bear the medical expenses of Indian student Harjot Singh, who is recovering at a hospital in the Ukrainian capital city Kyiv after sustaining bullet injuries, the Ministry of External Affairs said on Friday.

On February 27, 31-year-old Singh, along with his two friends, boarded a cab for the western Ukrainian city of Lviv in a bid to escape Kyiv. He received four bullets, including one in the chest. Singh is a native of Delhi.

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“We are aware of the case. Our embassy is in touch with them (family). He is currently I think in a hospital in Kyiv,” External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said. “We are trying to ascertain his exact medical status, including his readiness to be able to move,” Bagchi said and hoped that India will be able to bring back Singh and others, who were left behind “somehow”. Bagchi also said three transport aircraft of the Indian Air Force carried relief materials for Ukraine on Friday as part of India’s humanitarian assistance.

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The first aircraft carrying six tonnes of materials headed for Romania while the second plane left for Slovakia with nine tonnes of supplies. The third aircraft transported eight tonnes of supplies to Poland, he said. India sent the first tranche of humanitarian assistance comprising medicines and other relief materials to Ukraine via Poland on Wednesday. India decided to provide the aid to help people crowding along Ukraine’s borders to exit the war-torn nation.